Father Figure
by FandomsMJ
Summary: He supposed he should have been jealous, another man would have been, to see his child looking up to another man as a father, but he wasn't.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Jonny Quest or related characters.

 _A/N: It's well known (or at least it seems to be) that both Jonny and Hadji look up to Race, as if he was a second father to them. I've always wondered what Benton thought of that, hence the reason this story exists. This was also partially inspired by the scene in Turu the Terrible where Jonny and Hadji shot the crocs with rifles._

* * *

Benton stood a safe distance away, watching unobserved as Race taught both Jonny and Hadji how to shoot a rifle. He wasn't exactly happy with the fact his sons had to learn to use such weapons, but with the kind of life they led it was an unfortunately necessary skill to learn. Therefore when Race had brought up the idea he had granted his permission.

Benton watched as both of the boys listened to every word the I-One agent told them. Jonny, who was holding the rifle at the moment, carefully followed Race's instructions as he aimed at the trunk of a dead tree that had been knocked over in a storm some time ago. Bandit, who was locked inside pawing at the glass door, whined when he heard the gunshot.

The auburn-haired scientist couldn't help but smile slightly when he saw the triumphant look on his son's face, and the proud smile on Race's. It was then that it occurred to Benton that perhaps he should be feeling jealous at the moment. Race's proud smile was not that of a teacher glad his students had succeeded, but that of a father proud of his son, just as Jonny's triumphant look was not one from a student to a teacher but from a son to his father.

Benton supposed another man would have been jealous, to see his son having a father-son bond with another man, but he was unconcerned. If anything, he was relieved. He was no fool, he knew his status as a world renowned scientist placed him in danger, there would always be people out there out to kill him. At least Jonny and Hadji would have someone else to turn to should something happen to him.

Besides, Benton was well aware that while Jonny, and Hadji as well, looked up to Race as a father figure, his own place was not threatened. Why then, should he be jealous or concerned?

* * *

 _A/N: I may do a second chapter to this, showing Race's thoughts on the father-daughter bond Benton and Jessie have. I don't know yet though, we'll see what happens._


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Jonny Quest or related characters.

A/N: Here it is, chapter two. I have no excuse for why this took so long other than 'life happened'... and writer's block happened to but that's beside the point. Anyway, here it is. I'll admit, I wasn't entirely sure how to end this one. Ultimately, I decided to leave the ending as you see it now to open the door to further exploration. Race and Quest both have some bad habits (for example - as very loosely hinted at in the ending - Quest occasionally gets absorbed in his work and forgets that he still needs to eat and get sleep) surely one worries about the boys or Jessie picking up this bad habit or that bad habit from the other at some point in time. That is for the future though.

* * *

Race shook his head with an amused grin as he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the door frame of the study. His presence went unnoticed by the two currently sitting on the floor in front of a coffee table that had been pulled from one of the sitting areas in the study. Jessie was beaming as she studied one of the papers scattered across the table.

She pointed to it, turning to Dr. Quest to say something Race couldn't hear from where he was standing. Quest nodded, grinning as he replied. The two were so absorbed in what they were working on, they didn't even notice anything else. Typical for them when they were working on something. Briefly, Race wondered why at first he'd ever thought Jessie wouldn't like staying at the mansion. She got along great with everyone (though her and Jonny did have a tendency to argue from time to time). Plus, science was one of her passions and here she had a great opportunity to pursue it. Every time she came to visit for a week or two she would spend some time just getting lost studying something-or-other, and occasionally she'd even help Dr. Quest work on one of his inventions.

Race felt a brief stab of jealousy. Oh, he wasn't jealous of the bond that seemed to be forming between Jessie and Dr. Quest - far from it - but he was a little jealous of the fact that Dr. Quest could do more to help Jessie pursue her dream of becoming a scientist. All Race could really do was encourage her while Dr. Quest could actually teach her. Race knew his encouragement was important - Jessie would probably be less enthusiastic about pursuing science if he (and/or Estella) disapproved - but sometimes he wished he was able to do more.

He shoved the thought aside, that wasn't something he needed to worry about right now. No, right now the dilemma was whether to leave the two be, or interrupt to remind them lunch was ready.


End file.
